Ego, Diplomacy and Power Plays: 5 Modi-Trump Moments That Shook India-US Ties In 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump began 2025 on the phone just days after the latter's return to the White House in January, and the message was clear - that India would play a key role in America's foreign policy under Trump 2.0. An early outreach and a high-profile Washington summit in February all signalled bonhomie between the two leaders and an expanding partnership between the two nations. But as the year unfolded, the promise of cooperation was met with a sudden roadblock - Trump's now-infamous tariff war. In the subsequent months, strategic alignment on security was tested by disagreements over energy, Russia, and regional diplomacy. Even moments of apparent coordination, claims of ceasefire efforts, phone diplomacy,

and backchannel trade talks carried the tension of relationships under strain.From headline-grabbing summits to trade wars, here's how Modi and Trump navigated ties in 2025 amid ambition, ego, and competing national interests.

High-stakes first meeting

Soon after Trump's election victory, PM Modi was among the first world leaders he spoke to, signalling the importance of India to Washington. In February, the prime minister visited Washington for a major summit with Trump, where the two leaders launched the US–India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology), a new strategic framework aiming for deep cooperation across defence, trade, tech, and security. 'Mission 500' was also introduced, a plan to double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030The meeting gave us this iconic photo, set high expectations, and also laid the groundwork for some of 2025’s most dramatic conflicts that were coming ahead.

Tariffs and tensions: Trade war begins

On April 2, Trump announced sweeping tariffs of at least 10% on most countries on what he dubbed 'Liberation Day', citing unfair practices and trade imbalances. China was hit with a 34% tariff, while India got 26%. He then used the tariff threat as leverage to push countries into trade talks and negotiations.Indian exports to the US fell sharply, hitting industries from textiles to chemicals. What started as optimistic economic cooperation turned into the biggest diplomatic standoff in recent times. This stirred political backlash in the US. Lawmakers also introduced a resolution to end Trump's "emergency" tariff powers, calling the levies illegal and harmful to strategic partnerships with several nations.Amid the tariff battle, PM Modi and Trump maintained contact via multiple phone calls described as "warm and engaging", suggesting both leaders tried to avoid a full rupture. But India made it clear that it would not enter into a deal with a "gun to its head" and vowed to focus on self-reliance and growth, even as trade disputes deepened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X73qVUt4-U

Trump's India-Pakistan ceasefire claim: A further decline?

With India and Pakistan engaged in a military conflict in May, post the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, Trump rushed to social media to claim that he had facilitated a ceasefire between the two nations, even before an official announcement was made from New Delhi or Islamabad. India rejected the assertion, reiterating its long-standing position against third-party mediation. However, the US president repeatedly reiterated that he mediated the ceasefire by dangling trade concessions and tariffs. This claim was later linked to his Nobel Peace Prize ambitions after a New York Times investigation revealed that during a call, Trump boasted to PM Modi that he had "ended the military escalation" between India and Pakistan with a not-so-subtle hint that the latter should support a push for him to be nominated for the honour.PM Modi reportedly made it clear on the call that the ceasefire was "settled directly between India and Pakistan" and that the US "had nothing to do with it", according to the report.Also Read:Did PM Modi Refuse To Back Trump's Nobel Prize? Big Claim On Why India Was Hit With Tariffs

Energy strategy and global pressure - The Russian oil drama

In the second half of the year, Trump ramped up pressure on India once again, urging it to halt Russian oil purchases, which the White House argued were indirectly funding Russia's war on Ukraine. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods exported to America, which came into effect from August 7, and later announced an additional 25% tariff on India's crude oil trade with Russia taking the total to 50%.After Trump's move, India made it clear that it will continue to act in its national interest and factor in the global market situation when it comes to its energy purchases. But reports have claimed that these 50% tariffs have become a key negotiation point during the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks.

SCO Summit and optics: Modi, Putin, Xi and the shakeup

Amid turbulence with the US, India marked a strategic shift in relations with China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, his first visit to the country in seven years. What came out of the meeting was a lot of optics, including several viral photos of a new power troika.In a series of photos shared by Associated Press, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen clasping Russian President Vladimir Putin's hand, bursting into his trademark hearty laughter, while Putin grinned and chuckled, and Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a measured smile during a huddle on the sidelines.

India's growing ties with Russia, symbolised by another viral Modi–Putin carpool photo from this summit, became a flashpoint in the US. Also Read: 'Trump Will Be The President That Lost India': PM Modi-Putin Car Ride Becomes Talking Point In US Congress

Therafter, Putin visited India, which was seen as Trump's "gross incompetence" by the majority of the US, according to former Pentagon official Michael Rubin. Even the US Congress used the image to critique the Trump administration's policy towards India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4_ZWz266I

A change in tides in 2026?

Trump and Modi began 2025 with camaraderie and big strategic promises, which were quickly tested. India's simultaneous engagement with Russia, China, and the US created politically charged moments. In between, the US president's decision to impose a staggering $100,000 fee for H-1B visas also significantly jolted the Indian community in the US.But turbulent times seem to be giving way to calmer waters as 2025 draws to a close, with the focus of the bilateral relationship once again shifting to trade talks. In December, Washington said India has presented "one of its best deals ever" during the latest negotiations, with New Delhi asking the US to "sign on the dotted line", suggesting that a trade agreement may be on the horizon. The year 2025 was marked by a high-stakes balancing act between partnership and pressure. What 2026 holds for India-US ties remains to be seen.